miRNA and target gene expression in menstrual endometria and early pregnancy decidua.

Objective: The role of miRNAs in modulating gene expression in decidualization remains to be determined. We performed a comparative study to identify miRNAs and their potential mRNA targets with different expression levels between endometrium and decidua.

Methods: Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to measure the expression of the miR-146b-5p, miR-181b-5p, miR-424, miR-532, miR-199a-3p, miR-423, miR-22-3p, let-7i-5p, and miR-1 and the predicted target genes IGF2R, LEPR, SGK1, MMP2, MMP10, LIF, IL6, and STAT3 in menstrual endometria and early pregnancy decidua.

Results: miR-146b-5p, miR-181b-5p, miR-424, miR-532, and miR-199a-3p were significantly downregulated in early pregnancy decidua, while miR-423, miR-22-3p, let-7i-5p, and miR-1 were significantly upregulated. In addition, the decidua had significantly lower levels of expression of LIF, IL6, MMP2, MMP10, and IGF2R and higher levels of expression of SGK1, LEPR, PROK1, and STAT3 than the menstrual endometria group.

Conclusions: Our results provide new insights into the expression of miRNAs that regulate genes involved in decidualization and the maintenance of early pregnancy.